Switch-stand.



s. w. HAYES. SWITCH sumo; APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 19.09.

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SWITCH STAND.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1909.

1,183,007. Patented May-l6, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Ill JRII IIIIIIIHHW STANLEY w. HAYES, OF GENEVA, NEW YORK.

SWITCH-STAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1916.

Application filed m 28, 1909. Serial No.498,806.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, STANLEY XV. Haves, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Geneva, in the county of On turio and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Stands, of which the following is a full, true, and concise specification.

The invention is an improvement in switch stands of the kind wherein the throw of an operating lever through a vertical arc of 180, or thereabout, is made effective, through bell crank lever mechanism, to impart rotation of 90 more or less, to a vertical target staff or to a crank arm connected with the track device or switch, and the invention has particular reference to switch stands wherein the operatingor hand lever throws parallel with the track, being an improvement on the parallel throw stand disclosed in the patent of F. C. Baker, 402,293, dated April 30, 1889.

Among the objects of the invention are the disposal of the switch connecting rod in the center ofrthe spaee between the ties and in the horizontal plane of the tops of the ties, the arrangement of the operating 6:1 moving parts entirely above the supporting base, whereby their inspection and maintenance are facilitated, and, generally, the production of a switch stand mechanism of which the parts are few in number and com pactly and firmly assembled and which require but a minimum of machine work and fitting in their manufacture, the said parts being specially suited to be made as castings.

Other features of the new construction will be apparent to those skilled in this art, from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein' Figure l is an elevation of a switch stand embodying my inventiorr and looking par allel with the tra ck, with the parts in a mid position; Fig. 2 is another elevation, viewed transversely of the track; Fig. 3 is a? top plan, with certain parts. in section, 'and showing the position of the moving parts when the operating lever is thrown to one of its extreme positions; Fig. l is a central longitudinal detail, in section through the axis of the bell crank; and Fig. 5 illustratesthe mode of assembling the parts of the bell crank.

The base of the switch-stand, marked 1, is a plate or casting of suflicient length to span two adjacent ties, formed flat at its ends and depressed in its middle or between the ties, thereby providing a horizontal recess in said base in the plane of the tietops, which recess is adapted to accommodate the coupling-head of a connecting-rod 2 and also the end of the crank arm or member which operates it. This recess can be provided either by depressing the plate as just described, or by entirely removing a portion of an otherwise perfectly fiat plate in the plane of the tie-tops, the ob ect being to maintain the switch connecting rod in its horizontal plane without at the same time unduly raising the operating mechanism above the ties. The depressed formation, however, is preferred as a stronger construction. It will be understood that the other end of the rod 2 is connected with the switch point or whatever part is to be shifted by the'stand. The base-plate is provided with a long foot-step bearing ,3, constituting the fulcrum bearing of the bell crank, and disposed at one side of the recess just referred to. In the preferred construction this bearingis forniecl as a female part or socket which is privided with a hole in its bottom. 'i'he dimensions, and particularlylthe depth, of this socket is sufficient of itself to provide an adequately rigid lateral support for the bell crank mechanism without the aid of any additional journal seat for this purpose, and any reference herein to a long foot-step socket is intended to refer to such dimension or proportion in distinction from ordinary foot-step bearings or sockets wherein the stepped part has also an upper journal on which it relies for lateral support. The base-plate is also provided with a fulcrumlug a, which is preferably placed so. that its fulcrum axis is parallel with the connecting-rod 2, which condition prescribes a par allel throw for the operating or hand-lever of the stand.

Both the foot-step and the fulcrum-lug a are most conveniently formed as integral parts of the baseplate, when'this is a casting, and are disposed a plane at one side of the center of the above-mentioned horizontal recess or the space between the ties so that the connection-rod 2 is thereby brought to a substantially centralized position therebetween, being also in a horizontal plane. The under side of the base-plate may be provided with reinforcing ribs, if desired, and is so shown in the drawings, and its flat end parts are provided with spike holes. The operating or hand-lever of the switch-stand is marked 5 and is pivoted on the fulcrum-lug a by a pin or bolt 6, the height of the pin above the ties being sufficient to enable the lever to assume a substantially horizontal position when in either of its extreme, thrown positions. Intermediate of its ends the operating lever has formed in it, or carried by it, a recess 7 which receives the round end of the lever arm 8. The latter constitutes the power arm of the bell crank, which is a transversely jointed bell-crank, vertically fulcrumed in the long foot-step socket 3, above referred to. The said power arm 8 is the jointed part of the bell crank, being pivoted to the rest of the bell crank on a horizontal axis so that it can follow the arcuate movement of the operating lever and in so doing describe a curved surface or the surface of a cone, which movement is characteristic of this class of switch stands. The rest of the bell crank is so constructed as to be capable of being formed in a single piece or casting which is susceptible of a variety of shapes or forms within the scope of this invention, although the construction of the said member in several part-s is also within the invention. As shown herein, it is a one-piece casting, suitably cored to provide a vertical perforation or bore coincident with its fulcrum axis and also with a transverse bore, marked 9 (Fig. t) which is provided merely for economy of weight and of metal. The part which immediately surrounds the intersection of the two bores, and marked 10, I designate'as the hub of the bell-crank, since it is the part of the casting nearest to its fulcrum or vertical axis of rotation. This hub portion 10 merges into a depending and tubular boss 11 which constitutes the fulcrum journal of the bell-crank, and is mounted in the long foot-step socket 3. The hub 10 also merges into the two lateral gudgeons 12 and 13, which contain the transverse bore 9 and constitute the transverse or horizontal hinge axle of the power arm 8. There are preferably two such gudgeons, although one might be suflicient, and the end of the power-arm is formed into two forked branches each of which is formed as an eye adapted to embrace one of the gudgeons, thereby forming the pivotal joint. The power-arm 8 is also adapted to be made of a single part or onepiece casting, and the eye formed on its branch 14, is a continuous ring forming a circular, integral journal seat for its corresponding gudgeon. The other arm, marked 15, has a similar eye, but this eye is provided with an opening of sufficient width to accommodate the diameter of the lower portion of the hub 10 or the tubular boss 11 when assembling the two parts, which is accomplished as indicated in Fig. 5, by placing the open eye 15 first upon the gudgeon 12, and then sliding it along until the tubular boss 11 passes through the said opening, in the meantime bringing the other, closed eye 14 to its seat on its own gudgeon 12.

The opening in the open eye 14 is preferably formed in the side Which is uppermost when the arm is connected with the operating lever, and hence it requires to be inverted to be assembled and then to be turned to its normal position, thereby interlocking the said arm upon the hub or body portion of the crank so that it cannot be removed save by passing it through the reverse movements. lVhen the target staff or other appurtenances of the device are also in place, or when the end of the arm is fitted into the socket of the operatinglever, such reverse movement is impossible, and the power arm is thus confined to position solely by its interlocking formation. A filling-block 16 may, however, be bolted in the open space of the eye 15, if desired, to avoid lost motion and produce a better fit. One of the parts which forms the horizontal axle for the power-arm, that is to say, the gudgeon 13, constitutes also the actuated crank arm of the bell-crank, and for this purpose it is formed with or carries a vertical bolt-sleeve 17 or equivalent attachment means at its extremity. This bolt sleeve is shown as formed integrally with the gudgeon and hub, which construction is preferred, and it depends below the axis of the gudgeon or gudgeons, that is to say, below the horizontal axis of the bell-crank, so that the connection between it and the connecting-rod 2 is thus located in substantially the plane of the tops of the ties. In this position the said connection is at one side of the wall of the long foot-step socket 3 and the connecting rod may thus extend in one straight reach to the operated track device.

The vertical bore through the axis of the bell crank is intended to be filled or occupied by a rod 18 of wrought metal, the lower end of which extends through the hole in the bottom of the foot-step socket, being there provided with a head or nut 19 and suitably upset or locked thereon so as to prevent the removal of the rod. The rod is secured to the bell-crank casting by a, collar 20 set thereon immediately above the hub 10 so that the crank casting is also confined in the foot-step socket and cannot be removed except by the removal of the collar or the head or nut 19. The rod 18 is of wrought metal and serves the special purpose of safeguarding the mechanism in case of defective casting or of fracture of the tubular, boss, I

it is extended upwardly beyond the collar 20 and supplied with the usual target vanes or other connections for a. lamp.

The socket on the hand-lever 5, wherein the journal end of the arm 8 is received, is offset inward with relation to the fulcrum of the lever, that is to say, toward the vertical fulcrum of the bell-crank, thus enabling an especially strong and compact construction to be produced. The portion of the lever 5 above this socket is curved or offset outwardly, so as to afford adequate clearance for the throw of the lever.

In operation the handlever 5, when moved from its horizontal position as shown for example in Fig. 3 to its other extreme horizontal position, carries the end of the power-arm 8 of the bell-crank with it, the parts passing through the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, causing the crankarm of the bell-crank to swing on its vertical fulcrum through an arc of 90 and thereby impart to the connecting-rod 2 its required longitudinal movement. The target staif receives a corresponding rotation sufiicient to display a different target surface. The hand lever is formed as a onepiece casting with suitable hasp slots whereby it may be padlocked in either position.

I claim the following:

1. The combination in a switch stand of a base and a bell crank mechanism vertically fulcrumed thereon, comprising a "transversely jointed power arm and a crank arm, both said arms radiating from the hub portion of said mechanism above all part or parts on the base which provide its fulcrum support, and a connecting rod connected with said crank arm and disposed in the horizontal plane of the tie tops.

2. The combination in a switch stand of a base and an operating lever thereon fulcrumed above the plane of 'the tie tops, with a bell crank vertically fulcrumed on said base and comprising a transversely jointed power arm and a crank arm both radiating from the hub portion of said bell crank above the part which constitutes its fulcrum or support and a connecting rod having an exposed connection with said crank arm below the level of thefulcrum of said operating lever.

3. In a switch stand, a base-plate shaped to provide a horizontal recess between the ties and in the horizontal plane of the tops of the ties, and a bell-crank fulcrumed on said base-plate and comprising a transversely jointed power-arm and a crank-arm both radiating from the hub portion of the crank above the fixed part constituting its support, said crank-arm being provided with a depending extremity, and means for supporting the switch connecting rod thereon for movement in the said horizontal recess.

4. In a switch stand, a base depressed between the ties to afford an open top recess and having an operating lever fulcrumed on an axis above the ties, in combination with a long foot-step bearing on said depressed portion of the base and a bell-crank vertically fulcrumed thereon having one arm transversely pivoted and its other arm provided with means at the side of said foot-step bearing for connection with a switch connecting rod.

5. In a switch stand, a bell-crank having its hub portion formed with an integral depending boss which finds its bearings entirely in a long foot-step socket in the switch stand base.

6. In a switch stand, a bell-crankhaving a hub formed with a depending boss j ournaled in a long foot step socket in the base of the switch stand and provided with an integral lateral gudgeon to which the power arm of the bell crank is pivoted, the said gudgeon serving asthe other bell crank armand having means for attachment to the switch connecting rod.

T. In a switch stand, a base provided with a long foot step socket, a bell crank having its hub portion formed with a depending vertical boss journaled in said socket and having a laterally projecting gudgeon terminating in a bolt sleeve, the extremity of said sleeve being in the horizontal plane of said socket and boss, in combination with a power arm. for said bell crank ournaled on said gudgeon.

8. In a switch stand, a bell crank for transmitting the motion of the operating lever'to the switch connecting rod, having its hub portion fulcrumed on a bearing on the base-plate and provided with a lateral integral gudgeon to which the power arm of the bell crank is jointed, the free end of said lateral gudgeon being provided with switch rod attachment means below the axis of said lateral gudgeon.

9. In a switch stand, a lever-actuated arm pivotally mounted on a horizontal and horizontally revolving axis whereby it describes a curved surface, in combination with a part constituting the horizontal hinge axle for said arm extended downwardly at its extremity and provided with means for attachment to a switch connecting rod.

10. In a switch stand, a base comprised of a plate depressed in its central portion between the ties to afford an open top recess, a long foot step bearing formed on said plate, a bell crank journaled thereon having one of its arms horizontally pivoted and the other arm depressed at its extremity for attachment to the switch connection rod, in combination with a parallel throw hand lever fulcrumed on said base-plate and operatively connected with said horizontally pivoted arm.

11. In a switch stand, a bell-crank having its power and operated portions formed in separate parts and connected by a transverse pivot joint, the inner member of said joint having a projection and the outer member having a lateral opening permitting it to pass said projection in assembling, whereby on turning said outer member it is locked against endwise displacement.

12. In a switch-stand, a bell-crank memher having a hub portion with a depending boss, and two integral lateral gudgeons, in combination with a power arm having forked branches terminating in eyes to receive said gudgeons and one of said eyes having an opening suited to accommodate said boss.

13. In a switch stand, the combination of the operating lever and a cast metal crank member actuated thereby having a reinforcing core of wrought metal.

14. In a switch stand, the combination of the operating lever, a cast metal bell crank member actuated thereby and. a wrought metal core filling a bore in said crank member and having holding abutments at the extremities of said bore.

15. In a switch stand, a base having a foot step bearing, a crank member having a vertical bore and journaled in said bearing, in combination with a rod in said bore, extending through said bearing and functioned to confine the said crank member thereto.

16. In a switch stand, a base plate having vertical journal seat and a bell crank having a boss in said journal seat, said bell crank and boss being jointly formed with a vertical bore and a shaft confined in said bore.

17. In a switch stand, a base having an open bottom, long foot-step bearing, a bell crank member having a depending boss in said bearing and provided with a bore longitudinally disposed within said bearing, in

combination with a shaft secured in said bore and provided with a head or nut below said bearing to confine said crank member therein.

18. In a switch stand, a base adapted to span two adjacent ties and provided with a crank journal bearing nearer to one of said ties than to the other, an operating lever, a

crank arm fulcrumed on said bearing and a switch rod connected to and operated by said crank arm in substantially the middle of the space between the ties.

I 19. In a switch stand, a base spanning two adjacent ties and provided with a horizontal recess in the plane of the tie tops, a vertical journal bearing in said plane and nearer to one of the ties than to the other, in combination with a bell crank mechanism fulcrumed in said journal bearing with its crank arm extended toward the opposite tie and provided with switch rod connection means at about the center of the space between said ties, and said bell crank mechanism having its power arm transversely pivoted and adapted to be moved through a curved path.

20. In a switch stand, a base, a bell-crank vertically fulcrumed thereon with one arm adapted for connection to a switch rod and the other arm transversely jointed and adapted to swing in a curved surface, and a shaft revolving coaxially with said bellcrank, in combination with a parallel-throw operating-lever. fulcrumed on said base and curved or offset outwardly from its fulcrum andthe shaft, the said lever having a socket ofl'set inwardly with relation to its fulcrum toward said shaft and affording a bearing for the end of said transversely-jointed arm which is ournaled therein.

-21. In a switch stand, a base, a bell-crank vertically fulcrumed thereon with one arm adapted for connection to a switch rod and the other arm transversely jointed and adapted to swing in a curved surface, in combination with a parallel-throw operating-lever fulerumed on said base and provided with a socket for the reception of the end of said transversely-jointed arm, said socket being offset from said lever in ward toward-the vertical fulcrum of said bell-crank.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to the specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

STANLEY W. HAYES.

WVitnesses H. F. NESTER, K. M. THOMPSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 01. Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

